Adobe rebranded its creative software back in 2012, and now, it's changing the way it handles forms and documents. The company just announced Document Cloud: "a modern way" to tackle those files in your home, office and on the go. Combining key features from several apps, Document Cloud (DC) includes the redesigned Acrobat DC for tweaking PDFs. What's more, its handy scanning feature will allow you to snap a picture and convert it to an editable PDF, where you can make changes to both the text and any images. Adobe's EchoSign tools are baked in too, so filling out and adding your signature to forms is an easy task on either the desktop or a mobile device. Speaking of mobile devices, new apps, like Acrobat Mobile and Fill & Sign, wrangle all of those files on phones and tablets. The pair ensures that you can resume editing right from where you left off, and that signing a permission slip in a pinch is never too much to ask. Slideshow-271893

The folks at Dropbox continue a run of handy updates with another addition that keeps you from having to venture outside of the cloud repository's app. In the latest version, Android users will notice a built-in PDF viewer, complete with all the sharing tools needed to distribute files. What's more, you can now search the text of PDFs, Word documents and PowerPoint files to find the exact item you need. Looking to edit a single slide for an upcoming presentation? Swiping over to the file and entering a keyword takes you right to it. The new version should arrive in the Play Store in the next few days, and your trusty mobile device will most likely alert you when it's available.

Sony's still searching high and low for the kind of folks that need a replacement for regular paper and aren't too worried about the cost ($1,100). The latest potential buyers (after lawyers and HR departments) of its 13.3-inch E Ink Digital Paper? Legal researchers. Sony's teamed up with William S. Hein & Co. (which runs the LexisNexis-like HeinOnline database that gives access to documents from legal libraries) so anyone who uses the device can pull from its more than 100 million pages and see them just as they were originally laid out, without zooming or scrolling. It's still a pretty pricey upgrade from tech that's worked effectively for around 2,000 years, but legal librarians and law students can probably do without the reams of paper they've been printing out until now.

We hope you weren't too attached to Google Play Books' PDF upload support on Android, because you just lost it -- albeit temporarily. Following some code sleuthing, Android Police has confirmed that Google removed PDF uploading; for now, you're limited to transferring EPUB books. The PDF support was experimental, Google says, and should come back with a future app update. That's unfortunate for anyone hoping to save documents to Play Books, but we won't object too much when there are at least a fewalternatives for sending PDFs to the cloud.

Catching up to its iOS counterpart, Adobe's Reader app for Android has been updated with the same PDF conversion tools. This means that from within the app, you can now create PDFs from various popular file types, and vice versa. While the new version improves search, changes the file browser UI and adds multi-window support for free, you'll need to reach for your wallet to use the PDF transmogrification features. Continuing Adobe's love of subscriptions over purchases, the ExportPDF add-on for turning PDFs into other files costs just under $24 per year. The PDF pack, which lets you make PDFs from other files as well as the reverse, comes at a monthly charge of $10. We're good, thanks.

When we're not wandering through an eerie wilderness or virtually feng shuing our pads, life occasionally calls for us to be productive on our mobile devices. To ensure we are, Adobe has updated its Reader app for iOS with all kinds of new PDF conversion features. The addition of CreatePDF means you can now turn images, various MS Office files and other formats into PDFs from within the app. ExportPDF, as the names suggests, is another new service that does the reverse, allowing you to create Office or RTF docs from PDFs. These features come at price, though, as they're activated through in-app purchases -- ExportPDF costs $19.99 / £13.99 per year and a CreatePDF subscription (which includes ExportPDF) goes for $89.99 / £59.99. Any chance we can pay you in hugs, Adobe?

Something as simple as a PDF-friendly application can make things so much better for any mobile user -- and who other than the file pioneer to be the provider of such element. While Adobe Reader was already available for folks on Mango, the app is now expanding its horizons and reaching a more recent version of Microsoft's OS, Windows Phone 8. As far as features go, Adobe's app is the very same one that's been present on WP 7.5 for some time, but with the exception that it's now bringing its PDF opening / viewing traits to a broader audience. The Windows Phone 8-ready app is up for grabs now, so hit the source link below if you'd like to get the download process initiated.

Evernote released a substantial Skitch 2.5 update for both OS X and iOS today, which makes the four-month wait since the last Mac update seem worthwhile. The new features are primarily geared toward adding feedback and notes to PDFs, and Evernote Premium members get two of the best ones: PDF Annotation and Skitch Summary. As the name suggests, the former lets you mark up PDFs with text, arrows, shapes and highlighter tools, while the latter collates all the added notes into a single "summary" so users can get a visual overview of what's changed. Gallery-186024

Other non-premium updates include a new Stamps tool that'll let you mark a document with symbols to indicate approval, disapproval, a question mark, an exclamation point and (of course) a heart. You can also add notes to those symbols to flesh your opinion out a little more. What about filling out those pesky PDF forms? Skitch is bundling a plain text notation mode just for that, too. Last but not least, there's a handy Tool Tip to guide users through all the new features. Those on the Apple side of things can download the new Skitch straightaway, but as there's no word on when Windows and Android users will get the update, they'll have to content themselves with staring at the screenshots above and below for now.Gallery-186025

Web denizens who regularly run Chrome or Safari are used to seeing PDFs in-browser, but their Firefox-using counterparts have had to settle for either a download or a third-party plugin. With the just-launched Firefox 19, they're on an even playing field: Mozilla's browser now has a built-in PDF viewer to save the hassle. Other updates on the desktop involve more incremental CSS and startup speed tweaks, although Android users do receive theme support, Chinese localizations and lowered minimum hardware requirements. Both Firefox versions and their release notes await at the download links.

Offering a front-lit e-reader isn't reserved just for the heaviesthitters. Bookeen is leaping into that still-exclusive club with the Cybook Odyssey HD FrontLight. Its lengthily-named upgrade to the original Odyssey focuses on the read-anywhere light, and a lightweight body, as its standout aspects -- at just under 6.4 ounces, it's more featherlike than Amazon and Barnes & Noble counterparts with similarly legible screens. Claims of display superiority are a bit suspicious when Bookeen touts the same 62 percent jump in resolution that we saw in the Kindle Paperwhite, but we'll appreciate the extra crispness alongside a tweaked interface and a new PDF reflow option. Readers who balk at going with the dominant device makers can pick up the Cybook HD FrontLight in November, when we'll also learn whether or not Bookeen can offer a challenge on price.

As Google continues to improve other areas of its broad ecosystem, it's always great to see that the company hasn't abandoned its search simplification roots. A spokesperson for the company told us, "we recently added the ability to search within Gmail attachments as part of our ongoing efforts to improve search." This potential time-saver plays nice with Word docs, PDFs, PPTs and many other file extensions. Currently in its infancy, some of your older attachments may not have been indexed yet, so you might not be able to "share" last year's term paper with your younger sibling until Google brings the feature up to speed. However, if you're just looking to locate that recently received Word doc filled with notes from your study buddy, then have at it.

Adobe has just updated its Acrobat lineup, including Pro, Standard and Reader to version 11 -- and thrown in two new programs, FormsCentral and EchoSign, to boot. The latter two are cloud-enabled services which permit "web contracting, forms creation, data collection and analysis" according to Adobe, which didn't yet specify exactly how that works. The company has also added improved tablet capability, and portable versions of Adobe Reader will now let you sign and save forms, as well as annotate and add comments. You'll also be able to modify paragraphs, images and objects by dragging them around; save PDFs as PowerPoint, Word or Excel files; and add extra security measures to documents. The upgrades will ship within 30 days and cost $449 and $299 for the Pro and Standard versions, respectively -- so if you've no time for frivolity on that new slate, check the PR for more info.

Qualcomm has revealed that it's developing a new mobile radio that'll operate across multiple LTE bands. While dreams of a cross-network standard were burned to the ground last July, the chip company revealed that the MSM-8960 will connect to three frequencies below 1GHz and four above. Qualcomm has said that the hardware will make its way into handsets by the end of the year at the same time it voiced opposition to the FCC's plan to standardize the lower 700MHz band -- something the smaller networks feel is necessary to prevent them being squeezed out by the big three.

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Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:59:00 -040021|20252551http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/easysignmobile-gets-facebook-authentication-for-iphone-and-ipad/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/easysignmobile-gets-facebook-authentication-for-iphone-and-ipad/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/easysignmobile-gets-facebook-authentication-for-iphone-and-ipad/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsNeed to sign a contract, like, now? There's an app for that. Several actually, but the folks who create EasySignMobile have gone and made their service a bit more accessible to the unwashed masses with an updated version that supports Facebook authentication. The new feature is currently available only for iOS, although we'd imagine Android users will find similar love in the near future, as the company released its first version for Google's platform last October. Also on deck for iPhone and iPad fans, the latest version of EasySignMobile offers integration with Dropbox and Box.net for easy file storage and retrieval. So next time you need to make your mark, perhaps you can reach into your pocket rather than rummage for a pen. Those interested will find the full PR after the break.

Do you like Amazon Kindles? Do you like PCs? Do you like documents? Would you like to send documents from your PC to your Kindle? Fantastic, because that's totally what you can do with Amazon's new Send to Kindle software. You might wanna take this opportunity to grab a notepad, because it's sort of complicated: download the program for free, fire up Windows Explorer, find a document, right-click it, and choose Send to Kindle. You can also save documents to download at a later date and synchronize your bookmarks, notes and highlights across all (non-PDF) documents, which is pretty wild, if you think about it. Windows users can dramatically change their lives at the source link below. Mac users will have to wait a little longer.

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Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:14:00 -050021|20147433http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/23/distro-issue-19-peter-rojas-plays-20-questions-and-zach-honig-b/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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If you caught our release of Distro for Android tablets, you know we're in the mood for giving. In keeping with that sentiment, issue 19 ushers in two new weekly (and exclusive) features: "Recommended Reading," a guide to the best writing happening outside of our fine publication(s), and "Q&A," our take on the Proust questionnaire, answered this week by Engadget founder Peter Rojas. Of course no issue of Distro would be complete without a generous collection of reviews, and this one's packed full: Zach Honig takes a ride on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, Richard Lai covers Meizu's MX, Dana Wollman puts Samsung's Series 7 Slate PC through its paces, Tim Stevens tackles the Motorola Xyboard 8.2 and last, but most definitely not least, we examine Verizon's LTE Galaxy Nexus. It may not be your own private Watson, but it might just give you something to do between swigs of eggnog. So hit the appropriate download link and enjoy.

Some have pegged Ron Wayne as unlucky; not only did he lose big by backing out of one of the most successful companies in consumer electronics, but a set of documents he once sold for a reported $500 recently demanded $1.6 million at auction. Earlier this month, Brian Heater spent two days in the Nevada desert following Apple's third founder, a man known best for his proximity to two guys named Steve and notoriously unfortunate timing. In this issue of Distro, we'll get a glimpse inside Ron's world -- a place occupied by slot machines, antique firearms and collectible coins -- and discover what he really thinks about his onetime business partners. Also in this issue, we'll double your pleasure with a pair of LG smartphone reviews: the Nitro HD and DoublePlay. Dana Wollman will rip through Jawbone's troubled fitness device, the Up, and take Lenovo's IdeaPad U400 for a spin. Ross Rubin will serve up his opinion on "WebOS' Open Sores" and we'll explore the gadgets we can't let go of in IRL. So get to downloading!

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Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:15:00 -050021|20129275http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/engadget-distro-issue-17-takes-a-bite-out-of-android-ice-cream-s/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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No matter how you feel about Roboto, there's no denying the anticipation that's built up around the latest overhaul of the Android operating system. In this week's issue of Distro, Brad Molen gives you the sweet lowdown on Mountain View's Ice Cream Sandwich, while Zachary Lutz explores why Carrier IQ is leaving a sour taste in some user's mouths. We also have reviews of two Android tablets: Motorola's Xoom 2 and ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Zach Honig and Richard Lai take us inside Tokyo Motor Show 2011, Ross Rubin considers a trip with Siri and Box Brown tackles the cosmos and Facebook's "like" button in the Engadget comic. So hit that download button and feed your brain.

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Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:15:00 -050021|20124187http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/02/engadget-distro-issue-16-digs-into-the-galaxy-nexus-audis-r18/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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Finally pulled yourself out of last week's turkey coma? Awesome. You've managed to regain consciousness just in time for a freshly baked edition of Engadget Distro. In this installment we discuss the nearly perfect Samsung Galaxy Nexus, talk up terrible product names and take a Fanatec Forza gaming duo for a test drive. Speaking of cars, we also have an exclusive look at the Audi R18 prototype and it's tech savvy pit crew, Ross Rubin offers his take on Apple's TV in Switched On and you'll get a another peek into our messenger bags with IRL. Pretty sweet, eh? Go on, hit that download now because it's Friday, and you all deserve a little pre-weekend leisurely reading.

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Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:12:00 -050021|20118925http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/amtrak-begins-testing-e-ticketing-system-other-futuristic-thing/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/amtrak-begins-testing-e-ticketing-system-other-futuristic-thing/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/amtrak-begins-testing-e-ticketing-system-other-futuristic-thing/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsIt's been a long time coming, but it looks like Amtrak is finally ready to get with the times. This month, the human-carrier began testing a new e-ticketing system for passengers traveling along its Downeaster line, which extends from Maine to Boston. Under the trial, travelers can either print their tickets at home, or have them e-mailed as a barcode-laced PDF file for conductors to scan. Customers can also change their reservations at the last minute, without having to wait in line at the ticket counter and interact with other people. It's not exactly cutting-edge technology, but Amtrak attributes the delay to the unique nature of the railway, where conductors check tickets in transit and have to deal with a steady stream of passengers getting on and hopping off. As a result, the company had to find a scanning device reliable enough to handle this constant flow of organisms, though it looks as if it's nearing a solution. Amtrak plans to expand the trial to California in February, and if that goes well, the system could roll out on a nationwide basis as early as this summer.

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Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:59:00 -050021|20116382http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/25/engadget-distro-issue-15-tackles-the-nook-tablet-htcs-rezound/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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What better way to spend this post-turkey day than curling up with a brand new edition of Engadget Distro? This issue we cover Barnes and Noble's creatively named Nook Tablet, HTC's stellar new smartphone, the Rezound, and Toshiba's Ultrabook contender, the Portege Z835. We're also serving up a piping hot dish of a Samsung Galaxy 7.0 Plus review and Ross Rubin's lip-smacking Switched On, which explores HTC's journey back to the feature. If that's not enough to sate your geeky appetite, we've also got our latest installment of IRL. So belly up and download it now -- this is one holiday treat that won't go straight to your hips.

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Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:15:00 -050021|20113722http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/tis-the-season-to-download-the-distro-gift-guide-125-geeky-g/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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We've been doling out or holiday gift giving advice in installments, but instead of making you wait, we're speeding things up a bit, and offering the full 14 categories just in time for Black Friday. Before you go into a turkey-induced coma, download our very latest special edition, the Distro 2011 Gift Guide, to find out what we've got on our wish list, and what you should have under your tree. From TVS to tablets, from smartphones to Lego sets, we've compiled a list of our favorite gadgets, gizmos and gear for every price range. Consider this your manual for fighting turkey-induced giving indecision. Now, go forth and spend! (Just don't go crazy.)

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Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:15:00 -050021|20111905http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/engadget-distro-issue-13-takes-on-stephen-elop-the-kindle-fire/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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This week's issue of everyone's favorite weekly magazine (we checked, it's legit), Engadget Distro, brings with it our very first Q&A, and what better subject to start things off than Mr. Stephen Elop? Sitting down with our own man in charge, Nokia's CEO gets candid about leading the outfit's restructuring, Lumia's launch on American soil and the death of MeeGo. As if he wasn't busy enough trotting the globe to meet with international businessmen, Tim also took time out of his busy schedule to bring you his review of both the Kindle Fire and the Galaxy Tab 8.9. We've also got our review of the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, Lenovo's take on the Ultrabook, the IdeaPad U300s, another installment of In Real Life and Ross Rubin take on the tablet wars. So don't just sit there, get to downloading!

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Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:15:00 -050021|20109508http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/04/engadget-distro-issue-12-is-go/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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You've been waiting all week, and the 11th Issue of Engadget Distro is finally here. For those of you experiencing that nasty crash bug overseas, the fix is in. We released version 1.0.2 of the app earlier this week, so if you've got an iPad (or a way to view PDFs) go on and download it. Taking center stage this week is the half-phone-half-tablet hybrid with a stylus -- pardon, S Pen -- the Samsung Galaxy Note. We'll also take you on a ride with the Grace One City e-motorbike; pick apart HTC's lady phone, the Rhyme; find out what's inside the Motorola Atrix 2; and take a couple shots at (and with) the Pentax Q, a tiny ILC with a massive price tag.

But that's not all, if you've been dying to tell us how it is, we're giving you a soapbox to stand on. Yup, we're opening our little weekly to your scrutiny, so if you've got something to say about Distro send your thoughts to distroletters@engadget.com. Provide your name, city and state / country and you might just make it into Issue 12. So, hit that PDF download link below or pick up your iPad and give Engadget Distro a go.

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Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:15:00 -040021|20098391http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/28/engadget-distro-issue-10-its-alive-and-ready-for-download/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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They're creepy, they're kooky, they're your favorite Frankengadgets and they've invaded the latest issue of Engadget Distro. But fear not, this edition of our fine weekly isn't all about chopping and screwing the devices you love, we've got plenty of other real-life gadgets on hand as well. See that tiny silver sliver on the cover? That's ASUS' Zenbook UX31, perhaps the most viable candidate for the Ultrabook throne. It may not be as thin and light, but we're also bringing you a review of Dell's lightweight XPS 14z, an ergonomically sound laptop with a sizable asking price. On the mobile front, Myriam Joire says hello and goodbye to Nokia's N9 MeeGo phone and Zach Honig gets his hands on its brother from another operating system, the Lumia 800. Nokia's claiming its latest is the "first real Windows Phone," but Sharif Sakr's review of the HTC Titan might just prove otherwise. We'll also bring you a look into Tech News Today host Iyaz Akhtar's geeky upbringing, our latest installation of In Real Life and an exclusive comic from Ed Piskor. So what are you waiting for? Hop on that iPad or hit the PDF download link below, and soak up all that Distro goodness.